Summer Driving is not for Multi-Tasking

Every year more than 3,000 women drivers are killed or seriously injured on the roads. evecars.com, eve Magazine's motoring website for women, is urging female drivers to think before they take to the roads for their summer breaks. The carefree holiday should start when the car is safely parked and keys tucked away.

“We have to stop thinking of cars as personal space where we can do what we want, when we want.” Says Lesley Jones, editor of evecars.com.

“It’s easy to treat your car as a combination of home, entertainment centre, office and beauty parlour, especially if you’re a busy mum who finds it is the only space you have to get organised. But think of it as a multifunctional vehicle only when you’re parked up. When you hit the road, concentrate on your driving,”

The majority of holiday driving will involve using a motorway and many female drivers dread a breakdown because they’re not sure what they should do when they end up on the hard shoulder. evecars.com’s Lesley Jones advises drivers to park as close to the verge as possible with wheels turned away from the motorway and to put on hazard lights immediately.

Get out of the car on the passenger side and climb the embankment or wait in an adjoining field and call for help letting the emergency services know if you are a lone female. “Statistics show that women are at far greater risk of being hit by a vehicle on the hard shoulder than they are being the victim of an attacker,” says Lesley Jones.

“Women are advised to plan their journeys by map in advance if they don’t have Satellite Navigation, ensure the car is roadworthy and take regular breaks to beat fatigue.”

The RAC Foundation says “Bored kids will distract the driver, which is a real safety hazard. So it’s vital to plan ahead to keep them occupied. Play old favourites like I-Spy and roadside bingo or bring hi-tech games and DVD players – but don’t forget the batteries. Happy, comfortable kids make for safer journeys.”